The President's Page

By C.E. Scott Brewster, CFP®, MBA, EA

Happy New Year!  I hope your 2010 is off to a great start.  First, let me say how honored I am to serve as president of the FPANY.  My personal goal is to work diligently to leave a positive legacy.  Since at times it is hard to tell what path to pursue in order to advance membership value and the chapter, the FPANY board and I are counting on you, the members, to give feedback - both positive and negative – to help us chart a course you would like to see the chapter pursue.

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Allied Professionals Committee

By Rick Bryan

The Allied Professionals Committee held its Fall membership drive and networking event at The Public House on November 11th, 2009, and by all accounts, the evening was a great success.  As you may know, the focus of the Allied Professionals Committee is to raise awareness of the mission of the Financial Planning Association among accountants, real estate agents, attorneys, bankers, and (for the most part) any other recognized profession.  Any professional who shares in the FPA’s ethics and ideals that the best way of meeting a client’s needs is with a coordinated effort and close working relationship among the client’s many advisors, is welcome to join the FPA and network among its members.  A wide variety of “allied professionals” attended this Wednesday evening event, and hopefully our guests will soon become full-fledged FPA members.

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October 29th Special Event on “The Psychology of Buying – Turning Emotions into Action”

By Robert Wander, CFP®

The approximately 50 FPA members who attended the October 29th Special Event were well-rewarded for their efforts.  

The meeting took place at the world headquarters of Bloomberg LP, a truly impressive state-of-the-art facility with art deco designs, unusual sculptures and an overall futuristic atmosphere.  The evening began with a great opportunity to network with each other while enjoying rather tasty Tex-Mex hors d’oeuvres.  The main event featured a very interesting presentation by Jay Anderson of River Source, who proved to be a charismatic speaker offering high-value content.

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The 6 Steps to a Fearless Referral Conversation 

By Matt Anderson

Most advisors are still looking for a way to ask referrals that feels comfortable. Granted, many of the first concerns people have about asking are mental. They are false beliefs that get in the way, such as “I might come across as pushy” or “it will make me look needy.” This would be a fair concern if you haven’t brought much value or if you’ve simply done your job.

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Building A Dream Retirement - 12/15/09 New York Public Library Presentation

By Paul Palazzo, CFP®, COA

The New York Public Library drew an inquisitive group to its Dec. 15 session, “Building a Dream Retirement,” at the Science, Industry and Business Library.

A session that was scheduled to run for 90 minutes lasted over two hours, as the group asked important questions and shared their own thoughts about savings, investments and other elements that go into a successful retirement.

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FPANY Board of Directors 2010

  • Chairman
    Clifford Michaels, CFP®, MBA
  • President
    Scott Brewster, CFP®, MBA, EA
  • President-Elect
    David Mendels, CFP®, MBA, ChFC
  • Secretary/Treasurer
    N. Jerry Palumberi, CPA
  • Director, Allied Professionals
    George L. Bischof
  • Co-Director, Pro Bono
    Anthony Canale, CFP®, MBA
  • Director, Membership  
    Katherine Fibiger, CFP®
  • Director, Events Management
    Thomas J. Gillespie, CFP®
  • Co-Director, Public Awareness
    Devika Kamboh, MBA, CLTC
  • Co-Director, Sponsor Development/Retention
    Jenifer Lee, CPA, CFP®, MBA
  • Director, Education-Practitioners
    Gail Linn, CFP®, CASL, LUTCF
  • Co-Director, Pro Bono
    Anja Luesink, MBA, CFP®, RLP®
  • Director, Education Programs
    Eli Newsom
  • Co-Director, Public Awareness
    Ronald Palastro, ChFC, CFP®, CLU, CSA
  • Director, Technology
    Chintu Pandya
  • Director, Special Events
    Eleanor Peterkin, CFP®, CIMA
  • Director, Government Relations
    Kathleen Piaggesi, CFP®
  • Director, Spring Forum
    Lauren Prince, CFP®, CFS, CDFA
  • Director, Mentoring/Career Development
    Alan Schoenberger
  • Director, Public Relations
    William J. Supper, CFP®, MBA
  • Director, Communications/ Marketing
    Robert M. Wander, CFP®, MBA
  • Co-Director, Sponsor Development/Retention
    Thomas A. Whitford. CTFA
  • Chapter Executive
    Maria T. Eckert

Meet the Board Members

National News

  • FPA Business Solutions 2010 - March 1-3, 2010 - Dallas, Texas - The only advanced practice management conference for financial planners. Focused on the core competencies every business faces: sales and marketing, human resources management, compliance, technology and leadership. Requires minimal investment and time commitment for the most up-to-date education.
  • FPA Retreat 2010 - April 22-25, 2010 - San Antonio, Texas - Retreat delves into the depths of financial planning, allows for reflection and deeper thinking while challenging the mind, sets the direction of the profession. Opportunities to share meaningful conversations, innovative ideas and tried-and-true best practices with the "who's who" of the financial planning profession.
  • Spreading the Word about the Profession - Catch up on the latest FPA buzz! Don't just take our word for it – read what top newspapers and media outlets are saying about FPA.
  • FPA’s Practice Management Center - Your source for practice management solutions

FPA of New York Recognized at 2009 Chapter Leaders Conference

The Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) of New York was recognized at FPA’s 2009 Chapter Leaders Conference as a Roadmap to Success Recipient and achieving an Outstanding Achievement Award in Pro Bono. 

(from L-R) Chapter Leadership Resource Council Chair Reed Fraasa, CFP®, FPANY Board Members: Lauren Prince, David Mendels, Scott Brewster, Anthony Canale and Maria Eckert, & FPA President Richard Salmen, CFP®, CFA, CTFA, EA

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Register Now for the New York Chapter’s 10th Annual Spring Forum

By Lauren Prince, CFP®, CFS, CDFA™

We’re excited to let you know that the 10th Annual Spring Forum  is being held at the Chase Conference Center on April 22, 2010. If you attended last year’s conference, then you know what a fabulous venue the Conference Center is.  Your Spring Forum committee started planning this year’s event back in May 2009. We have the topics and speakers in place.  See our website, www.fpany.org under Member Events to see the full program.

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FPANY Government Relations Update

By Kathleen Piaggesi, CFP®
Government Relations Director

Urgent news from Government Relations

RIA's acting as trustees, have power of attorney or maintain assets at an "affiliated qualified custodian" (still to be defined) are subjected to surprise audits per SEC.

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Bob VerMembers In The News

By Robert Wander, CFP®

We feature below our FPA NY members who have appeared in the media in recent months.  Please remember to share your media successes with us by emailing robert.wander@wanderfinancial.com so you can be noted in a future Newsletter.

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Garbage In; Garbage Out

By James Tissot, CFP®

As the CFP Board contemplates the inclusion of a completed financial plan as a prerequisite for CFP® Certification, the discussion has begun as to whether the plan should be completed using spreadsheets, financial planning software or both. All three choices have their merits and advocates. This article thankfully does not explore the virtues of the different options. Instead, it focuses on some common errors made when inputting data into planning software. Some planners (especially those relatively new to the profession), can make crucial errors by relying too heavily on the default settings of their software.   As the old saying goes: “Garbage in - garbage out.”

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6 Ways to Take Control When Times Are Tough

By David I. Leo

Times are tough, but chronic worrying doesn't help. By focusing on what you can control, you can help your clients regain their equilibrium and lead your business forward, despite the uncertainty.

What's real?

While I am not a historian, I have lived through every recession and, more enjoyably, every expansion since the Great Depression. Here's what I remember:

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A New Year’s Resolution to Keep

By Everett M. Lo

Many Americans begin each new year with a list of resolutions and goals.  You may want to go on a diet, shed a little weight, do a bit more exercising, or clean out the long-neglected attic.  The trouble is these well-intended goals often melt away long before winter’s snow does. 

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